New DVC Resort in 2004 at WDW

[Dan Murfman]

DVC-Landbaron,

I have a question for you. I really have enjoyed my DVC purchase. We bought in March of 2000. We've taken 3 trips and couldn't think of selling. But in reading your many posts I guess I've become discouraged with Disney. So with the resale market basically being a sellers market have you thought of dumping your ownership? I must be honest I am considering it now.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

But in reading your many posts I guess I've become discouraged with Disney.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rain on your parade. That's not what I'm about. A quick trip to WDW will fix you. I'm going again in a week (and many say it's none too soon)!! There is still enough 'magic' to cure all but the blackest of hearts! Although Safari Steve did let me down with the MK closing at Ten!!!

So with the resale market basically being a sellers market have you thought of dumping your ownership?

Nah! I'm gonna ride this CEO out. I'm in it for the long term. I'm hardheaded!! Just ask the Captain or DisDuck. I think on many levels the Disney company can be a vital force. Just look at the DVC program! That still has a lot of WOW in it! But I don't foresee much else with the current administration. And I think that many more people are becoming aware of this. Just look at all the negative press that Disney gets. I just hope it happens soon.

Ask me again when a new CEO is named. I think that in the business world today Ei$ner's way won't work with a company like Disney. Hey, Walt's way might not either. Maybe a new creativity is called for. Something that will fuse the SHOW with the ever present bottom line of 'increasing shareholder value'. (Which I'm not totally against, being a stockholder.)

However, if they get another 'sharp-pencil-guy', or like Ei$ner, just inept, well, maybe I'd consider selling. But if they can get a guy with a vision, a little creativity, and most important someone who 'gets the SHOW philosophy', then I may even buy more points!! You never can tell.

HEY CAPTAIN!!! Does that make me a 'glass half full' kind of guy!!??

 

[Peggy Sue]

We joined DVC in 1997 and have enjoyed every minute of our membership! You can't knock it until you've taken the time to take the tour and find out what it is all about. It isn't for everyone..but what time share arrangement is?

For us, we've enjoyed fantastic vacations, at beautiful resorts we never would have been able to afford without DVC.

DVC has 60,000+ members, and keeps on growing every day. They must be doing something right!

WDW is experiencing a down turn in their attendence this year because of the economy...and it's not just WDW..but every vacation destination is suffering this year. It is discouraging to hear about all the cut backs at WDW, but then again it's even more discouraging to hear about all the companies out there struggling and seeing friends and family deal with loss of jobs etc. too.

 

[airlarry!]

I too read Q's comments more in the light of his complaints as an average Disney fan...why more and more resorts instead of more and more things in the parks for the average fan to enjoy.

Which brings me to this point, one I am pretty sure was covered by someone at some time, that in Eisner's philosophy, additional parks are for additional resorts, and not the other way around.

In other words, Eisner built AK but only spent enough money on it to justify 2-3 more resorts, which means less people staying offsite. More gates is the Eisner answer to losing money outside the world to the Motel 6's of the real world.

A sound business practice? Of course.

BUT IS THAT THE DISNEY WAY? BUILD GATES TO JUSTIFY MORE ROOMS?

NO! It should be the other way around. Build a beautiful park, not just a place to 'house' more on-site guests, but as an experience that will get people to want to stay on site. You see, if you take Eisner's philosophy to its logical extreme, then it is okay to build 5 or 6 or 7 half-day parks, because the investment in them is only to attract more and more people to stay on-site. If you only had the MK here, or just Epcot, there's no way Disney builds 30k+ rooms because the parks would be too crowded.

Argh. What I am trying to say is that Q is right. They are adding to the world to justify more rooms, not to create more Show.

'Course I say this, just as am slowly trying to influence my wife toward a family purchase of DVC!

 

[Synonymous]

'Course I say this, just as am slowly trying to influence my wife toward a family purchase of DVC!

That's just it. WDW is the premier vacation destination in the world. Do a search for threads on wait times and crowds. Why is everybody going there if Disney is being run into the ground by Eisner? Maybe we'd like some things to be done differently, but c'mon. We wouldn't be here on this board if it wasn't such a great place.

 

[Safari Steve]

Mouse:Mickey::Optimistic: DVCLandbaron... Hmm, never thought I'd see that analogy on the SATs...

 

[fkj2]

I still think the DVC has been a good vacation choice as well as a good investment, particularly for those who bought in early. It certainly becomes less attractive monetarily as time closes in on 2042. I think if you take into account the varied types of accommodations available to members, it's a good choice.

As far as criticism of Eisner, it is true that the company stock has not done well of late. When he took control of the company however, Disney was precariously close to being broken up and sold off. I think the book is called, "Barbarians at the Gate". The parks were in terrible condition. I think the only hotels on property at that time (late 70s) were the Contempory, Polynesian, and Shades of Green although it was called something else then, I think the Disney Inn. Eisner came in and some great things began to happen. The stock climbed in price and split several times.

As with any success story during the recent bull market in stocks, many companies tried to grow faster than they should have. I think Dis is one of them. I also believe Eisner's theory is to have tourists come to Dis property and never leave it while they are in Florida; a monopoly that the guests choose for themselves so to speak. The problem is that while he was planning so were his competitors, as evidenced by the proliferation of hotels, condos, timeshares, houses, etc for rent.

A year ago in March, you couldn't find an empty hotel room on Dis property. This situation now is because of economic slowdown both domestically and abroad. It may take years to work through this slowdown and we may be lucky if this is as bad as it gets. I have to say I am somewhat surprised that the DVC inventory continually is worked down especially as the price per point has increased so dramatically. The allure is staying on-site. Should tourists conclude that significantly cheaper accommodations are available off-site, this may change also.